Bit of a Nerdy Post

Sometimes it's difficult to think of a title.  Lately I have been up to all sorts of things, not just quilting.  Some of you may know that I am the Regional Treasurer of Region 4 (Dorset, Devon and Cornwall) of the Quilters Guild of the British Isles and was appointed 2 years ago.  There is a requirement to go to the Guild's Head Office at the Quilt Museum in York for training and so last weekend made the journey up to York and stayed a couple of nights in a guest house.  Having lived in Yorkshire and visited York quite a few times I quite enjoyed the stay up there.  I only had a short viewing in the Museum which was a shame but after the training day was over it was good to get outside and see the gardens.

This was taken from under the walls (York is a walled city and people can walk on them) looking towards the Quilt Museum building to the right of the tree.  To the left is a cafe and the smaller building to the front of the Museum is the Schoolhouse gallery.  The gardens were quite new when I last visited the area and it was nice to enjoy them as the planting is starting to mature. An oasis in a bustling city.

Before going to the Museum I had a chance to wander from the guest house and walked through the York Museum gardens.  The gardens house the ruins of St Mary's Abbey.  Sorry, can't resist and old ruin

And the Museum, above.

 I really loved this fernery planted outside on of the Roman walls

Another bit of ruin

Whilst walking through York I passed the Viking Loom (resisted temptation to visit) and saw quilts in the window, made by Stuart Hillard, one of the Great British Sewing Bee contestants who teaches there.

Sunday saw my return to Bournemouth from York and I really like the architecture of the station there.  The railway is on a curve and the canopy of the station follows it around.  What a feat of engineering.

On my travels the train stopped at Derby and on another platform was a Pullman style dining train.  I had hoped there would be a steam engine with it. but unfortunately not, there were diesels at each end of the train.  I think some trainspotters on the platform were hoping for some action as they waited.

However I was rewarded with a steam engine sighting at Didcot at the Didcot Railway Centre, quickly having to get mobile phone to hand there's a lot of reflection from the glass, but never mind, I got my engine!